House Baratheon of Storm's End is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, and is the principal house in the stormlands, which they rule as Lords Paramount of the Stormlands. Their seat, Storm's End, is an ancient castle raised by the Storm Kings from the now-extinct House Durrandon. The Baratheon sigil is a crowned black stag on a field of gold.[1] Members of the family tend to be tall and powerfully built, with black hair and blue eyes, as well as strong, square jawlines. They are known for their mercurial tempers, and their words are "Ours is the Fury".

History

Targaryen Era

House Baratheon is the youngest of the great houses, tracing its descent from Orys Baratheon, one of Aegon I Targaryen's fiercest generals, and rumored to be his bastard brother. Through the female line, the Baratheons are descended from the Storm Kings, as Orys slew Argilac the Arrogant, last of the Storm Kings, and married his daughter Argella Durrandon. Orys adopted the sigil and words of his wife's ancestral line.[2][3] The line of the Storm Kings dates back to the Age of Heroes when their kingdom was founded by King Durran I "Godsgrief", a legendary hero.[4]

A daughter of Lord Lyonel was betrothed to crown prince Duncan Targaryen in 237 AC. Duncan broke the betrothal when he married Jenny of Oldstones in 239 AC. This angered Lord Lyonel, causing him to declare independence, naming himself the new Storm King. His short, bloody rebellion ended when he was defeated by Ser Duncan the Tall in single combat, Duncan renounced his claim to the throne, and King Aegon promised that Princess Rhaelle Targaryen, his youngest daughter, would marry Lyonel's heir, Ormund Baratheon. Rhaelle was send to Storm's End to serve as cupbearer to Lord Lyonel, and as lady companion to Lord Lyonel's wife. The wedding took place in 245 AC, and a son, Steffon, was born the next year.[12][5]

Later, as Robert lies dying from a kingswood boar's tusk, Renly asks Eddard to support him in a bid for the throne. Lord Stark has discovered that Queen Cersei's children, Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen Baratheon, are not Robert's legitimate children, but they are instead bastards born of incest with Cersei's brother, Ser Jaime Lannister. Eddard insists that it is Lord Stannis who should be Robert's successor as king. After Eddard refuses to support Renly's bid for power, Renly, his 30 men-at-arms, and his former squire Ser Loras Tyrell ride south out of the capital. King Joffrey I names Lord Renly and Ser Loras among the nobles who must do him homage or be declared traitors, and soon thereafter has Eddard executed for treason.

House Dondarrion of Blackhaven. The first Dondarrion was given a lordship by a Storm King for delivering an important message. The house sigil of a forked, purple lightning bolt commemorates a lucky lightning strike that saved the messenger's life. The Dondarrions are marcher lords.

↑Ser Harbert's last name is never mentioned. He might have been the brother of Lord Ormund Baratheon, making him Steffon's uncle, though it would also be possible he was an uncle to Casanna Estermont, Steffon's wife